Recumbent - GONNA BUY a trike need advise

I'm planning on getting a recumbent tricycle, electric assist, regular handlebars to ride in urban traffic near Los Angeles. Very few if any hills and almost always on sidewalks streets.

I'm willing to pay the money to get the best trike for my needs. I'm 64 and in so-so shape. I hope to get exercise but that's not my priority. Transportation is.

I'd like to take my dog. Trailer or cargo carrier? It seems best to keep the 30# dogs weight as low as possible.

Multiple gears would be best I assume.

Any advise is welcome.

Two wheels in back (delta?), front handlebars please. Thanks.

The deltas (two wheels in back) tend to higher up from the ground - so if you have any issues getting up from a low tadpole designed trike (two wheels in front), the delta trikes may suit you better.

I was going to get a delta (generally a lot less expensive), tried both delta and tadpole designs - and loved the tadpole! I love the USS (under seat steering). The steering is very responsive, and it's also more stable when you turn. It feels very sporty. But it is very low to the ground, lower than the delta trikes - a little nerve-wracking in traffic!

The Sun EZ-3 (delta) trikes are very nice, well built (I tried one of those). Kind of sporty looking.

http://penncycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=14195

I tried one in San Francisco, and the dealer is designing a trike of their own similar to the Sun EZ-3 but a little higher.

http://riomobility.com/

They don't show the recumbent trike on the web site for some reason, but they sell it on Craig's List (craigslist.org) at a VERY good price ($825?). Currently they don't have an ad up, but you can look in the San Francisco section of Craig's List from time to time. Don't know if they ship, but there are plenty of other dealers who sell the Sun EZ-3's on the web.

An added plus on the tadpole design is that you can add a rack and panniers to both sides of the single rear wheel - I hadn't thought of that before I bought it. On the delta you can only add one basket or pannier to the back.

I chose my tadpole trike because it folds - not so much for easy transport in a car, but to be able to make it narrower in order to be able to pull it through most doorways. That gives me more flexibility to store it indoors, esp. if I move to a place without a garage or patio. It also takes up less room in a hallway for people to pass.

There are plenty of great trikes out there. Good luck!

Katycat, I'm surprised that you think the tadpole is nerve wracking in traffic, I like mine much more in traffic than my Strada :) First off I'm not a real fan of the delta trikes, I think they tend to be a little unsteady at higher speeds but if he wants a Delta trike with USS try looking at the EZ-3 USX or the Hase there also fine trikes. http://penncycle.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=14196 or http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/trikes/hase/hase-KettWiesel-recumbent-trikes.htm Greenspeed is also now making the deltas http://www.greenspeed.com.au/anura_main.html